Dirty Corn Bread Stuffing

Rub, Stuffings & Sauces

Pasta Dishes

Entrees & Hearty Fare

Dirty Corn Bread Stuffing

1 lb	andouille sausage, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons	olive oil
6 tablespoons	butter
1	medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2 stalks	celery, chopped
1	small red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves	garlic
1 cup	whole corn kernels
1 tablespoon	cajun spice
1 tablespoon	poultry seasoning
1 lb	cubed dried corn bread (no sugar)
1/4 cup	parsley
2	eggs
4 cups	chicken stock
	salt and pepper

This is a great Southern-style stuffing. The Andouille sausage is a good pork sausage with a little cayenne pepper in it - not real hot but zippy! The sausage I used was from 'Saags Sausages', and you can get it at many independent markets. Besides the sausage, you could use turkey liver, heart and gizzards. (My family likes it better with Just the Sausage.)

Pick your favorite corn bread mix or make the corn bread from scratch. If you use a corn bread mix, be sure that it has no sugar or honey added, as a sweet corn bread just doesn't taste that good with this recipe. Bake the corn bread and cool to room temperature when done. Cut the corn bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread the corn bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake again at 250 degrees until dry, about 15 minutes. You will need about 1 pound (about 10 cups) of dried corn bread cubes.

Brown the diced sausage and set aside.

In half of the butter, saute the onion, celery and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the olive oil, red bell pepper, poultry seasoning, Cajun spice and salt and pepper to taste. Saute until vegetables are tender.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetable mixture, sausage, corn bread cubes and all remaining ingredients, including the 2 eggs, chopped parsley, and chicken stock. Mix well, place into a greased casserole dish and cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Uncover and drizzle the remaining butter across the top. Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes until lightly crusty.

Serve with a smile!